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How adorable are these bright handmade crocheted teething rings by Finland based etsy shop Koukku? I love the idea and quality of wood being surrounded with something soft. I also think their toddler necklaces are adorable! I am adding these to my wish list as I think about which colors to get.

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This is the 100 Reasons Why Satchel. It's $199 at ModCloth. If ever there was a type of handbag that would benefit from a few feminine details, it's a brown leather satchel. This one has a sweet bow hardware detail and daintier size that balance the typical ruggedness of this kind of bag. This one is leather, has a ton of pockets, and two straps, making it appear pretty study and functional, too.

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'Contemporary with a not to quirky, Euro Style' is how Style at Home editor Erin McLauchlin defines her narrow row house space. It looks like a great combo of minimal design, pops of color and comfort -- my favorite. See more photos and read more about the space at Style at Home.

What do you think?

Photos by Virginia Macdonald

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Last week I was able to go to the Museum of Art at BYU and was blown away by the current exhibits. They were all very well-thought out and amazing if you are local, you should really take a trip. The current feature exhibit of Carl Bloch's paintings is out of this world and I was also drawn to the gallery which featured contemporary artists called 'Matter of Words' that is all about communication and the printed word. The curator Jeff Lambson said this about the exhibit "The words we choose reflect our mindsets and establish our connections to our physical and social environments.”

Adam Bateman did the above site specific book sculpture which included over 80,000 pounds of books that were donated along with these book rubbings that were all quite remarkable.

John Fraser did these stunningly simple and beautiful book cover and spine works that I found myself gasping at in a good way.

Something that I find most fascinating about contemporary art like this is not only the eloquent simplicity but also the conceptual thinking behind all of the works that takes you to a deeper level. Things often have more meaning the longer you look...

They are both orange floral tops with almost identical color schemes. They are both silk. Anthro's version has slightly bigger flowers and ModCloth's clearly has some contrasting floral details on top. They look damn close to me.

But no, they are obviously not the exact same top. So for an extra $27, I's thinking ModCloth's version must offer SOMEthing extra. Yep, it features this little number on the back:

Whoa. Not awesome. ModCloth calls this little vision of craziness the "knit columns" that "frame" the "edgy, exposed zipper at its back." Um, no.

If I had to choose, I'd go with the Anthro version. They tend to have more women's sizing (versus juniors sizing- hello, do I look 14?!) and I like the simpler, larger print that seems less busy. ModCloth's version has too much going on, like they are trying too hard.

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I just added the Alinea Restaurant in Chicago to my foodie dream list. Do you keep one of those? A list of places both elegant and causal that you want to try locally and around the world? What is on your list?

At Alinea there is a 12 and 23-course experimental menu where the food seriously looks like little sculptures created under the direction of the amazing chef Grant Achatz. It would be an evening that would knock my socks off! I believe you have to reserve months in advance but wow... what a place to try. Have any of you lucky readers been there?

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I have been seeing countless pieces with scalloped details. These details are cute and flirty and feminine without (mostly) being too precious. Here are some sweet pieces, which, as a bonus, are under $100 each:

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I had these bike shorts/cropped legging things when I was 10. I remember them distinctly, because I loved wearing them with an oversized tee with some sort of wild print, fastened with a plastic clip on the side so the white lace would peek out from underneath. I was def rocking a side ponytail, too. I think I thought I was Madonna.

That was 1989.

And yet, these are SOLD OUT. In 2011.

The word gross doesn't begin to describe what I think of these.

Sure, ModCloth is touting them as underwear, to "save you in case of any unannounced Monroe moments!", but we all know that with the resurgence of 80s fashion (I use that term loosely) and a plethora of idiots, these will be worn as pants or shorts, with all kinds of arse hanging out.

I shudder at the prospective sight. I think we can safely add these to the list of Clothing That Should Never Have Been Created Let Alone Sold, along with scrunchies, Uggs, and Crocs, hmmm?

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This campaign, "Become Someone Else" by the Lithuanian Agency called Love for Mint Vinetu is a clever concept, well executed. Here is what they said about it,

"When one reads books, he/she starts living it and identifies (or not) with main hero. These print ads for the Mint Vinetu bookstore, which sells lots of classics, focuses on the idea of becoming someone else. And provokes people to try on different personas."

What do you think?

I recently thumbed through this book which has moved Don Quixote to the top of my reading list - sadly, I've never actually read it have you? There are so many classics I have yet to read! What classics are your favorite? How many have you read?